Free Goddess of War by K. N. Lee Page B

humans live.”
    King Lavi approached her first. Queen Nevah tried to pull him back, terror in her eyes. The king turned to calm her.
    “It will be fine,” King Lavi said.
    Raina clenched her jaw.
    He had no idea how wrong he was.
    There was no mystery to who Litha was. There were sculptures and statues all throughout the land in her honor.
    “Goddess,” he said to her, bowing to one knee.
    It was odd to see King Lavi bow to anyone, but he had the right idea. If anything was going to work on Litha, it was humility and praise.
    “You’ve been hiding my prisoners, King Lavi,” Litha said, gazing to the blood red sky. “I really don’t appreciate it.”
    “Who do you refer to?”
    She glared down at him. “Who do you think? Don’t feign ignorance with me. I want the twins with the black tattoos.”
    “We didn’t know who they were. I swear it,” King Lavi said. “Please spare us, and take those whom you seek.”
    Raina shook as her eyes lifted to meet Litha’s. Shock filled her body, leaving her unable to move. She glanced at Aric.
    Her lips whispered goodbye to him, and panic filled his eyes.
    “No,” Aric shouted.
    Litha’s attention went to him and Raina felt her stomach lurch.
    “Stay back, Aric,” she shouted.
    “Yes,” Litha said. “Stay back,” she repeated and with a flick of her hand, Aric’s body went soaring into the stone wall that enclosed them in the banquet hall’s courtyard.
    Raina cried out. She ran at Litha only to suffer her first blow.
    Litha’s black lightning entered Raina’s body, seeming to rip through her insides.
    She prayed that Aric was okay.
    Doubling over, she tried to catch her breath. She reached out a hand, weakly, but not ready to give up.
    “No,” Raina shouted when Litha turned her attention to Allan. “Stop.”
    She clutched her chest, the pain threatening to elicit a scream of agony. Raina held it in. Not in front of Aric.
    “Leave him alone,” Raina shouted. “Please, kill me, and let Allan live.”
    Litha’s brows rose, as did the corners of her lips.
    “What is this you propose? I kill you, and let the God of Peace live?”
    Raina bit her lip, her heart thumping in her chest. Everything hurt.
    “Yes,” Raina said, nodding, tear streaming down her cheeks. “We can’t rule without the other. We can only rule together. Aden can be yours.”
    Raina’s face drained of color when Litha let out a chuckle and sent her black lightning into Allan’s body. The jolt sent him crashing to the ground.
    Eyes wide, Raina screamed as she watched her brother lay there unmoving.
    Raina forgot her own pain and scrambled to reach for her brother’s hand.
    They’d been foolish to think they could win again a god much stronger than the both of them.
    Now, Raina could feel herself dying.
    “I’m surprised you’re still breathing,” Litha said. “The reports must have been true; that you can truly absorb any kind of blow, physical, mental, or magical. I am impressed.”
    Raina rolled onto her back, her eyes staring into the white sky. She held onto Allan’s hand.
    “Please, goddess. Spare my people,” King Lavi said, his eyes fixed on Allan’s body. “We are not a part of this.”
    “King Lavi,” Raina whispered, drawing his attention.
    He looked to her. Everyone did.
    “You brought this terror to my kingdom,” he said.
    Raina felt her face heat. She turned her head to glare at him.
    “You might want to get out of my way,” Raina said, her body lifting into the air.
    King Lavi scrambled to his feet and backed away.
    Litha watched her, her face without emotion.
    Time was at a deficit. Raina had only seconds to retaliate, and so with the power of the wind, she cast a funnel over Allan’s body, protecting him from any further harm.
    “Clever,” Litha said, her arms out to her side as she lifted herself to Raina’s level. “But you’ll pay for that with your life force.”
    Raina shot her a glare. “No, Litha. I saved some just for you.”
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